[Posted Saturday 30 August 2008, 11H06] I am born in city, I lived there for 37 years, I have left it definately. Now I live in the south west near Bordeaux, ancient slave trading port, something that the people of Bordeaux avoid talking about or even admit. Well, let’s leave Bordeaux and the city center, let’s go to the countryside where the air is cleaner, where silence replaces the agitation of Babylon !

For peace sake, I will not mention the name of the village, let’s call it Zion. On the road to the left it’s near home, let’s go ! First point, there is an enormous dog, pretending not to look at you, either  he will  welcome you or will bark at you, it’s normal that’s his job. Well you are with me, he sniffs you and lets you come into his home the Garden. He will try to frighten you, and you won’t be too brave because even if you are hot stuff, you will be faced with 60 kgs of springy muscles and a jaw of 2 tons pressure, no use pretending to be hot stuff you are no match. Enough talk, I settle you in the shade of the tree. Yeh you are melting, it’s normal we are in the south west of France, by the way it’s a fascist country, yes believe me, France voted in Sarko, alas yes ! You must open your peepers friend, even your next door neighbour detests you because he thinks you are different from him. It is true, he is right, I am different from him, I am not a racist. Well then, you settle in the cool under the big beech tree with the dog for company. The dog will stand facing you as to watch a potential prey. Yeh man, he is at home, it’s him the master of the garden. The dog could also stand behind you to watch every move you make. He will not look for trouble because he knows he is superior to you, he is there just to caulk at you, it’s his way to get to know you. Of course you can boast, try to surpass your fear and call him to wheedle him then he will stare even more intensely at you. If you back down, it’s finish for you, you will become his favorite toy. But if, on the opposite, you maintain his killer look, you’ve won , you will have it good and could become best friends.  I often use my dog to find out who enters my home. If the dog growls you will stay on the pavement. If he is cool then you will come in.

I bring you something to quench your thirst and then I present you with a homemade spliff, you are still boasting, dragging like a moron on that spliff thinking it’s H ! There, in a fraction of a second, you understand too late, your mistake to have inhale like a small cockerel on what is some red weed. It slapped you in the face, you are not feeling well, everything turns around you and you say to yourself : It’s a good thing I am in Zion. Yes it’s true here at least nobody is going to stress you, then you begin to relax, no other option, you lie down, you re-open your eyes, you find yourself still lying on the grass, with the doggy sleeping by your side. You are feeling good ! You slept well, even if you did not come for this, the spliff of red weed transported you, it seems to have done you some good and that it’s great !

You get up and walk towards the house, no need to open the front door because it’s always opened, specially in summer. You recognise the sound of a tom bass, of a charley, of the caisse claire, you walk towards the sound, always tracked by the dog watching you nicely : What are you doing in my master’s house ? The dog will watch you even more because there you are on dangerous ground, but as long as you keep cool, the dog won’t do anything. There is a door, you open it and you enter, closing it behind you, stopping the dog to enter, no problem he will wait for you behind it. Now your eyes look at the music room. Yeh, you are in my music studio, personal and common at the same time. You see me drumming, I see you and smile at you, I suggest to refresh your face with water but you say no because of the dog, but I insist and go with you to get you a clean towel. And then I suggest you play with me, by chance you are a he or she musician, super you can play bass, a god send, bass drum, swell we rave together, we do what ever comes to mind, funk, rock , soul, bossa, roots, dub and even some undistinguishable sounds, we don’t care, we feel good ! The day passes nicely, we are angry, I prepare some I-tal food, you eat meat but no, not this time, here no meat, here apart from the doggy nobody eats red meat, chicken yes but no other meat. I prepare the food, all is cool, we talk of nothing and everything

It’s 08:00 pm, it’s still daylight, we are not thinking of going home, anyway you can’t, here in Zion, no buses or trains for the big city. Babylon we don’t miss you ! We eat with appetite, you, me, them, us, never mind how many people, there will always be enough to eat for everone. Then it’s nightfall, whilst you were passing out in the garden, I have prepared your bed in a room next to mine, well I sleep in the lounge where there is the sound and the telly which I only switch on late at night to go to sleep. All is calm, we are in the country, we do not feel like sleeping then I suggest a cup of coco to be drunk hot in the fresh of the night. We come out, sitting on the door step of the casa or sitting on the lawn where you had your first beddy-byes, we drink our coco with or without words, no importance we feel good, all is cool, peaceful and calm. I pass around the spliff, your hand reach for it but you know what to expect with the spliff this time, you are going to be more careful in future. And after one hour or two, we decide to crash out because tireness is felt, each one goes to his room and fall asleep without any difficulty.

Me, the next day, I get up early because I do not want to miss the sun rising over our heads and roofs. It is one of the most beautiful spectacle that Jah gives us since time began. I hurry to prepare  the kawa or whatever you like to take on waking up. If you want to take a shower there is already prepared, all you need to make yourself he or she beautiful. I invite you to see the spectacle if you are awake, and now you understand why I love Zion, you are astunished yourself and you believe today in the superior existance of a natural force. You were feeling good yesterday, you are feeling good today ! what a beautiful life is to live in Zion the beautiful, Zion the great, Zion the marvellous.

LION